ACA considers monitoring broadband quality

The Australian Communications Authority is considering whether to monitor the delivery of broadband Internet services. A discussion paper, Proposal for Monitoring and Reporting Quality of Service for Broadband and High Data Rate Services was released last week to spur discussion on the need for monitoring.

Currently there is no independent monitoring of the provision of broadband Internet in Australia.

"The ACA (Australian Communications Authority) aim in releasing this discussion paper is to find out if there is a need for independent quality assurance information on broadband to be available to consumers, and if so, the form it might take," said Tony Shaw, the chairman of the ACA.

Mr Shaw said at the paper's announcement that his organisation has noticed growing concerns over the quality of service in the broadband market.

"A recent independent survey of Australian businesses, for example, revealed that more than half of those users said slow and unreliable online access with a barrier to greater involvement in the information economy," Mr Shaw said. "Broadband is the next step in network services capability and service delivery. It raises new issues about the way monitoring is undertaken."

The paper is now available at the ACA Web site and comments must be received before 15 November, 2002.

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